The Collegiate Conference of the South released its Baseball All-Conference teams and yearly award winners Wednesday morning with three Covenant players recognized. Senior third baseman Zeke Gilbert was tabbed First Team All-CCS while Senior RHP Scotty Smith and Sophomore RHP Ethan Goebert earned Second Team All-CCS honors.
Earning All-Conference for the second year in a row, after making the Second Team in 2024, Gilbert had another standout season for the Scots. He led Covenant in batting average at .349 and hits with 52, ranking eighth in the CCS.
The Douglasville, Georgia native also had 23 RBI and three home runs for the season. He hit safely in all but three games this year and held a 21-game hitting streak from February 22-April 5. In the field, he had 29 putouts and 65 assists.
Smith was a consistent presence for Covenant in a starting role all season long, going 4-2 in 10 starts. In 53 innings pitched, the product of Woodland High School held a 4.08 ERA, ranking seventh in the CCS. Smith held opposing batters to an average of .256, which was a team-best and ranked fifth in the CCS. Smith threw two complete games on the year, one of which was in league play against Asbury. Some other notable notes on Smith include 39 strikeouts and a 1.30 WHIP.
Goebert was used as a reliever for most of the season, before transitioning to a starter in the last month. He proved to be effective in either role. Goebert made 12 appearances with four starts, boasting a 3-2 record and a team-best 3.19 ERA, which ranked him fifth in the CCS. The New Port Richey, Florida native had 28 strikeouts while walking just six batters in 42.1 innings pitched. He had three appearances on the season where he allowed no earned runs when pitching multiple innings, including 3.2 innings against Huntingdon.
Senior Benjamin Johnson was Covenant's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team.
The Scots return to action today when they face No. 26 Maryville in the Opening Round of the CCS Tournament at 3 p.m.
2025 CCS Baseball Superlative Awards
Player of the Year – Colin Dunworth, Maryville
Pitcher of the Year – Zeke Swartz, Piedmont
Rookie Player of the Year – Ben Connelly, Piedmont
Rookie Pitcher of the Year – Josiah Chiesa, LaGrange
Coach of the Year – Clint Helton, Maryville
2025 CCS Baseball All-Conference Teams
First Team
C David Smigelski LaGrange Senior Canton, Ga.
1B Adam Dorn LaGrange Senior Canton, Ga.
2B Reece Jordan Maryville Sophomore Chattanooga, Tenn.
SS Jackson McElvy LaGrange Junior Kennesaw, Ga.
3B Zeke Gilbert Covenant Senior Douglasville, Ga.
OF Curt Bonner LaGrange Junior Cartersville, Ga.
OF JD Weed Belhaven Junior Terry, Miss.
OF Colin Dunworth Maryville Junior Nolensville, Tenn.
DP Nick Thornton Belhaven Sophomore Brandon, Miss.
UTIL Blake McCarthy Belhaven Junior Mandeville, La.
P Zeke Swartz Piedmont Senior Blairsville, Ga.
P Kyle Timko Maryville Junior Tampa, Fla.
P Kade May Belhaven Senior Florence, Miss.
RP Braden Simms Piedmont Senior Oakwood, Ga.
RP Brent Cadenhead Huntingdon Junior Pace, Fla.
Second Team
C Ashton Whiteaker Maryville Senior Carlsbad, N.M.
1B Tristan Pearson Belhaven Senior Biloxi, Miss.
2B Hunter Harrell Belhaven Senior Zachary, La.
SS Brayden Evans Maryville Junior Knoxville, Tenn.
3B Matt Hall Maryville Senior Lexington, Ky.
OF Cody Funk Piedmont Junior McDonough, Ga.
OF Jorge Fragoso LaGrange Senior East Point, Ga.
OF Cole Ellis Piedmont Senior Woodstock, Ga.
DH Carter Few Piedmont Freshman Alpharetta, Ga.
UTIL Brent Cadenhead Huntingdon Junior Pace, Fla.
P Peyton Irvin Piedmont Graduate Student Cornelia, Ga.
P Josiah Chiesa LaGrange Freshman Dalton, Ga.
P Scotty Smith Covenant Senior Cartersville, Ga.
RP Ethan Goebert Covenant Sophomore New Port Richey, Fla.
RP Lane Alack Belhaven Freshman Loranger, La.